A squirrel comes down the tree near the entrance to shooting suspect Jon Marc Barbour's home in Gunbarrel on Friday afternoon. The area around the base of the tree was littered with peanut shells (Paul Aiken / Staff Photographer)

Jon Marc Barbour appears in court at the Boulder County Jail on Friday. He is facing an attempted-murder charge in Thursday's shooting in Gunbarrel. (Paul Aiken / Staff Photographer)

The altercation in Gunbarrel that left one man shot in the buttocks Thursday and another man facing attempted-murder charges grew out of an argument about the shooting suspect's habit of feeding peanuts to area squirrels, according to Boulder County sheriff's investigators.

According to an arrest affidavit, Barbour called 911 at 3:36 p.m. Thursday and told dispatchers he had shot his neighbor, identified as Jeffrey Browning, after an argument in the 6200 block of Willow Lane.

A deputy responded and placed Barbour in handcuffs and removed a gun from his holster.

Neighbors told investigators that Barbour and his wife like to feed shelled peanuts to the local squirrels. But neighbors have objected to this, saying they're worried about children with nut allergies and diseases the squirrels might be carrying.

Barbour said he and his wife put fliers on mailboxes in the area explaining why he fed the squirrels, but Browning took them down.

Barbour and Browning got into an argument over the fliers Thursday while Browning was walking his dog, with each man accusing the other of being "white trash," according to the affidavit.

Barbour told deputies that Browning then hit him in the head, and that he shot Browning while the two were on the ground struggling.

But Browning told investigators that he was walking away from Barbour, and was about 10 feet away, when he was shot.

Browning suffered a single gunshot wound to his buttocks, and was taken to Boulder Community Health for treatment. Barbour also was taken to the hospital to be treated for what deputies described as a "bump" on his head.

Boulder Community Health officials said Browning was in fair condition Friday. Repeated calls to Browning's room were met with a busy signal.

Barbour's wife declined to comment when contacted at their Gunbarrel home.

But the front porch of Barbour's condominium was littered with peanut shells, and shells also were visible around trees and in the grass in several areas throughout the Willowbrook neighborhood Friday.

'The squirrel feeder'

Neighbor Daisy-Jo Weaver said she had never seen the flier Barbour reportedly posted, but did know he fed the squirrels. She said she initially had no problem with it, until the feeding continued.

"Eventually, as it went on, it seemed a little excessive," Weaver said. "The wildlife service says it's not good to feed wildlife."

Jennifer Churchill, a spokeswoman with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said it is not uncommon for neighbors to have differing views on feeding any sort of local wildlife.

"In general we don't recommend feeding wildlife," Churchill said. "It can draw other animals into the area and it can spread disease."

Other neighbors said Barbour would go on walks two to three times a day around the neighborhood and leave "pounds" of peanuts in the grass and around trees. One neighbor said Barbour also recently was seen trying to train them to eat out of his hand.

"Everyone knew him as the squirrel feeder," said another neighbor, who requested anonymity out of fear of retribution. "He definitely liked the squirrels a lot."

The Willowbrook Condominium Association Board of Directors released a statement saying it was "shocked and dismayed" by the shooting, and added that, "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected by this incident."

No criminal history

At a court hearing Friday at the Boulder County Jail, Deputy District Attorney Lisa Saccomano asked for bond to be set at $50,000.

"Obviously these are very serious charges," Saccomano said. "At the same time, I understand that Mr. Barbour does not have any criminal history."

Boulder County Judge Elizabeth Brodsky set bond at $50,000, and also prohibited Barbour from living in his unit in Willowbrook due to prosecutors' concerns that he would be living in close proximity to Browning and other witnesses.

Defense attorney Ashley Telleen did not object to the order prohibiting Barbour from living at his Willowbrook address, saying he was looking to stay with friends.

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